After weeks of camping and living in dirt showing up with a mud-covered SUV to the glitz, lights, and artificial environments of Vegas is just what we need. In nature we laboriously gather fresh water from lakes and streams. In contrast Vegas is the land of flowing water with immense pools to swim in, jacuzzi tubs to soak in, artificial canals to float on, and cascading waterfalls spewing from fire filled volcanoes. Wall-to-wall aquariums fill hotel lobbies, pirates battle on man made lakes, Greek gods emerge from column lined pools, and even the circus shows are set on water. All this right in the middle of the stark landscape of the Mohave Desert.
We always shock the concierge when they ask for our luggage, and we start pulling dirt encrusted plastic bins of camping gear out of our car instead of padded suitcases. They look at us and our clothes and ask if we would like a luggage cart to transport our own belongings. Soon enough in our room we clean up well and turn into something familiar. We are ready to explore, visit and play!
Thirty years ago, we loved Vegas for its glamorous cheap hotels, and decent affordable food. We avoided the all you can eat buffets and smokey gambling halls but still liked that they were there. In 1993 we watched the implosion of the Dunes Hotel our favorite place to stay and in a matter of seconds everything changed. The Vegas we knew was gone.
Today, Vegas is still known for gambling, but it has upscaled everything including dining, entertainment, art, and nightlife. Vegas remains surreal to us, the theming of an America city that is a place of pretend and dreams. How is it possible that on a walk down the strip our imagination can shift into thinking that we are visiting a land of make believe. In the matter of hours how are we are in Paris, Venice, Egypt, Greece and New York? Everything about Vegas feels as though it should go against my ethical principles and concern for preserving culture and the environment. However, somehow like ice cream or red meat it is an indulgence that I still love just for a few days- occasionally.
